Torch RelayParalympic hopeful to carry torch

A PARALYMPIC hopeful, who only took up running three years ago, is set to carry the Olympic Torch through Earlswood.

Former Kingsley College pupil Glenn Scott said he had heard about the torchbearers on television but never dreamed he would be among them.

"There are more than 60million people in this country, so to be among the 8,000 carrying the torch is amazing. It's going to be a great honour," he added.

Glenn was born with Talipes, a condition commonly known as 'club feet', and had to have several operations, including ones to remove his ankle bones to correct the position of his feet.

He began sprinting in 2008 after being spotted by the Playground to Podium scheme and went on to compete in national and international standard disabled races at both 100m and 200m.

His progress has been amazing and the 19-year-old has held the Junior National title at both distances for the third year running. He has also competed for his country in the UK School Games and is now seventh in the World in his category. He hopes to represent Great Britain at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Brazil.

Glenn was nominated by his parents for inspiring others, his voluntary coaching at an athletics club for disabled youngsters in Bromsgrove, where he lives, and as an

ambassador for the Waterloo School in Sierra Leone for underprivileged children, which he has raised between £3,000 and £5,000 for through a number of charity events.

The school was set-up by Laurie Read - the surgeon who operated twice on Glenn at birth and twice when he was nine-years-old. Glenn became the school's ambassador after a chance meeting when Mr Read, who had visited Dingleside Middle School shortly before it was due to close to see if he could have any of the equipment for the Waterloo School, and bumped into Mr Scott's father who was the caretaker.